Ink-jet recording apparatus

Abstract

An ink-jet recording apparatus, including a movable support member which includes a supporting portion that supports a recording medium fed on a platen and which is slid in a feeding direction so as to the recording medium, wherein the movable support member includes an ink receiving portion which is provided such that a clearance is formed between the ink receiving portion and the supporting portion, which is relatively low in height, and which receives ink droplets ejected to an outside of the recording medium, or wherein the supporting portion includes: a step portion having a transfer preventing face which prevents adhering ink from transferring upward; and an ink receiving face continuous to the transfer preventing face and extending in a generally horizontal direction so as to receive ink droplets ejected to an outside of the recording medium.

1. An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:
 a platen configured to support a recording medium that is fed in a feeding direction; 
 a recording head comprising a plurality of nozzles disposed so as to be opposed to the platen, and configured to record an image on the recording medium by ejecting ink droplets onto the recording medium fed on the platen while reciprocating in a main scanning direction perpendicular to the feeding direction; and 
 a movable support member which comprises:
 a base configured to support the movable support member; 
 a supporting portion provided on an upper surface of the base which is configured to support the recording medium at a top part thereof and which is configured to slide in a moving direction so as to follow the fed recording medium, the moving direction coinciding with the feeding direction; and 
 an ink receiving portion
 which is provided on the upper surface of the base on a downstream side of the top part of the supporting portion along the feeding direction, 
 which comprises an uppermost portion, and 
 which is configured to receive ink droplets ejected from the plurality of nozzles when a non-margin recording operation is performed, 
 
 wherein a distance between the uppermost portion of the ink receiving portion and the upper surface of the base is less than a distance between the top part of the supporting member and the upper surface of the base, 
 
 wherein a recess is formed in the movable support member and an entirety of the recess is located on an upstream side of the ink receiving portion and on a downstream side of the supporting portion along the feeding direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the supporting portion comprises a wall face which defines the recess between the ink receiving portion and the supporting portion and which is a steep slope preventing ink adhering to the supporting portion from transferring upward. 
 
     
     
       3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein an ink absorber is provided on an upper part of the ink receiving portion. 
 
     
     
       4. The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein at least a part of an upper end of the ink receiving portion near to the recess inclines downward as being nearer to the recess in the moving direction. 
 
     
     
       5. The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein an upper end of the ink receiving portion has a flat face which extends horizontally. 
 
     
     
       6. The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the ink receiving portion is formed of a material capable of absorbing ink. 
 
     
     
       7. The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, in addition to the recess as a first recess, the movable support member comprises a second recess formed in the supporting portion on an upstream side of the top part in the feeding direction and opening upward. 
 
     
     
       8. The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the supporting portion and the ink receiving portion are each erectly provided in a planar plate shape extending in the feeding direction and are aligned in the feeding direction. 
 
     
     
       9. The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the movable support member comprises supporting portions each as the supporting portion and ink receiving portions each as the ink receiving portion, and 
 wherein the supporting portions and the ink receiving portions are arranged in the main scanning direction. 
 
     
     
       10. The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the movable support member has (i) a downstream wall facing to the supporting portion and located on a downstream side of the supporting portion in the moving direction and (ii) an upstream wall facing to the ink receiving portion and located on an upstream side of the ink receiving portion in the moving direction, and 
 wherein the recess is defined by the downstream wall and the upstream wall. 
 
     
     
       11. The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein a top of the upstream wall as the supporting portion is higher than a top of the downstream wall. 
 
     
     
       12. The ink jet recording apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the movable support member comprises a base portion defining a lower end of the recess, the movable support member being provided on the base portion, and 
 wherein the movable support member has a guide channel defined by the base portion and the ink receiving portion and extending from the recess to a downstream end face of the ink receiving portion in the moving direction, such that the ink in the recess flows through the guide channel. 
 
     
     
       13. An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:
 a platen configured to support a recording medium that is fed in a feeding direction; 
 a recording head disposed so as to be opposed to the platen, and configured to record an image on the recording medium by ejecting ink droplets onto the recording medium fed on the platen while reciprocating in a main scanning direction perpendicular to the feeding direction; and 
 a movable support member which comprises a supporting portion configured to support the recording medium at a top part thereof and configured to slid in a moving direction so as to follow the fed recording medium, the moving direction coinciding with the feeding direction, 
 wherein the movable support member comprises an ink receiving portion,
 which is provided such that a recess is formed in the movable support member between the ink receiving portion and the supporting portion in the moving direction, 
 which is lower than the top part of the supporting portion in height, and 
 which is configured to receive ink droplets ejected to an outside of the recording medium, 
 
 wherein the recess is formed, such that the ink received by the ink receiving portion flows into the recess, 
 wherein, in addition to the recess as a first recess, the movable support member comprises a second recess formed in the supporting portion on an upstream side of the top part in the feeding direction and opening upward, and 
 wherein a part of the supporting portion which is located on a downstream side of the second recess is lower in height than another part of the supporting portion which is located on an upstream side of the second recess. 
 
     
     
       14. An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:
 a platen configured to support a recording medium that is fed in a feeding direction; 
 a recording head disposed so as to be opposed to the platen, and configured to record an image on the recording medium by ejecting ink droplets onto the recording medium fed on the platen while reciprocating in a main scanning direction perpendicular to the feeding direction; and 
 a movable support member which comprises a supporting portion configured to support the recording medium at a top part thereof and configured to slide in a moving direction so as to follow the fed recording medium, the moving direction coinciding with the feeding direction, 
 wherein the movable support member comprises an ink receiving portion,
 which is provided such that a recess is formed in the movable support member between the ink receiving portion and the supporting portion in the moving direction, 
 which is lower than the top part of the supporting portion in height, and 
 which is configured to receive ink droplets ejected to an outside of the recording medium, 
 
 wherein the recess is formed, such that the ink received by the ink receiving portion flows into the recess, the ink jet apparatus further comprising an ink absorber which is disposed on the platen and which contacts the ink receiving portion when the movable support member is located at one of opposite ends of a sliding range thereof, 
 wherein the ink absorber is distant from the ink receiving portion when the movable support member is located at an area other than the one of opposite ends in the sliding range. 
 
     
     
       15. An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising:
 a platen configured to support a recording medium that is fed in a feeding direction; 
 a recording head disposed so as to be opposed to the platen, and configured to record an image on the recording medium by ejecting ink droplets onto the recording medium fed on the platen while reciprocating in a main scanning direction perpendicular to the feeding direction; and 
 a movable support member which comprises a supporting portion configured to support the recording medium at a top part thereof and configured to slide in a moving direction so as to follow the fed recording medium, the moving direction coinciding with the feeding direction, 
 wherein the movable support member comprises an ink receiving portion,
 which is provided such that a recess is formed in the movable support member between the ink receiving portion and the supporting portion in the moving direction, 
 which is lower than the top part of the supporting portion in height, and 
 which is configured to receive ink droplets ejected to an outside of the recording medium, 
 
 wherein the recess is formed, such that the ink received by the ink receiving portion flows into the recess, further comprising an ink absorber disposed on the platen, 
 wherein the movable support member comprises a guide channel which connects the ink absorber and the recess where the movable support member is located at one of opposite ends of a sliding range thereof, and 
 wherein the guide channel does not connect the ink absorber and the recess when the movable support member is located at an area other than the one of opposite ends in the sliding range.